Near-Field Optical Litography

This chapter reviews a specific application of scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM) to lithography. The working principles of the conventional lithographic techniques and related materials as well as of the SNOM technique are recalled. Detailed results of the aperture and apertureless scanning near-field optical lithography (SNOL) with regard to resolution and effectiveness of the method are dealt with. In particular, attention is focused on SNOL results on azo-polymers. The photo-printing mechanism of those polymers has in return allowed the study of the near-field fundamental features as well as of the probes